


This Belongs to You

by 9VaniaStein9



Category: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Character Death, Death, Gen, Heroes & Heroines, Homelessness, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Minor Character Death, Past Character Death, Prostitution
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-09 15:15:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17409263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/9VaniaStein9/pseuds/9VaniaStein9
Summary: Spider-Man is looked up to as a hero, but he isn't that different from the other people in New York.This medal isn't just his; it's theirs."It's yours."





	This Belongs to You

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for clicking this fic! It started out as a chapter for another fic and then it went in a different direction that I didn't want to spoil. So, here it is! <3  
> Hey, the prostitution and homelessness is mentioned, but it's an unnamed character, and the dead person is Uncle Ben, and he's mentioned. I mention other stuff like being low on money/counting change to buy something, mugging, getting almost run over, and PTSD, because Tony Stark has it, let's face it. I don't like the new tagging on this site and I hope they fix it soon. It won't let me tag what I want. :/  
> Anyway, the fic is for general audiences, and the only thing that might not be that is more on the not normal side is probably the prostitution mentioned. :/  
> Also, some of this was lightly inspired/based on a fic on Tumblr where Tony makes some kids that go to the Tower for WiFi a lounge spot with food and drinks and other things to really help them out and get help. I can update this later with the author's name, but the end scene thing was what was inspired by it.  
> Thanks to Illiteracy_Is_For_Woozles for helping me! (Not the one who wrote the Tower fic. I can find that name later.)  
> Okay, it was itsallavengers for the idea, the first person to start writing the fic was ironmanstan, and winteriron-trash did the most writing of the fic.  
> 

"This'll be good, kid."

"Yeah. Yeah, I know it will."

"Are you sure you want this? We can still back out. I can have Pep say that you aren't gonna make it and present it without you."

"No. No, this is fine. It's cool."

"Kid, you don't even have to be there. We can slip out and get burgers."

"No, I'm fine. I can do this. _Spider-Man_ has to do this."

 

 

 

After so long of important figures in New York City hating Spider-Man, he was finally getting some support.

Sure, he got the support of the people, and that's all he needed, but this is refreshing.

Peter doesn't really want the medal, but a tiny bit of him is happy to see a bitter Daily Bugle reporter in the crowd, not writing anything, their recorder off.

But he's even happier to see his friends and family behind him or in the crowd.

The Avengers are behind him, sitting in seats set just for them, along with a seat for Pepper, who is talking to the crowd.

Ned is in the crowd, both of his thumbs up with a big hat on his head that he rigged to hold up a sign that says _SPIDER-MAN ROX_  in big gold letters, and Michelle is there, but Peter hasn't told her that he's Spider-Man.

He just assumes that she has her own reasons for being there.

May is out there, beaming at him, right next to Ned, who is also by his parents, but they don't know who the man behind the mask is.

_The_ Black Panther is with the Avengers, and Shuri's sitting next to him, beaming.

"-To thank Spider-Man!" Pepper says, and Peter catches her gesturing for him to come up, and he trips, but catches himself at the right time and ends up doing a flip to not fall on his face.

His cheeks burning, he waves at the crowd, who is mostly cheering, but there are some boos mixed in there among the thank yous and I love you, Spider-Man's.

Peter ignores the haters.

He doesn't want the medal, so, when Pepper tries to hang it around his neck, he grabs the red and blue ribbon, stopping her.

"Thank you," he says quietly. "But I need to do something."

She nods and calmly walks back to her seat next to Mr. Stark.

Peter clears his throat, and then winces when the mic has feedback.

"Sorry," he says when it finally stops. "Um, thank you, for all of the support. I really appreciate it."

He coughs a little, a tickle in his throat making him do so, and _wow_ , is his mouth _really_ this dry?

He takes in a fortifying breath.

"But I do not deserve this. I-I am not much different than any of you. I get up and have to take the Subway to get to sch- Uh, to where I need to be. I have to count my change so I can buy a sandwich at Delmar's, and I get almost run over daily. I get to places late, get in trouble, and I stay up late worrying about what's gonna happen, and I see something happening and I want to stop it. I can't always. Someone once told me great power comes with great responsibility. I will never forget that, but we all have great power. Even when I didn't have these powers, I could still do things that could fix _something_. I remember when some of you did things that I never had the guts to do before."

Peter looks out at the crowd more closely.

Looks at Ned.

"The kid who helped me track down Vulture."

May.

"The moms who take care of their kids even after their husbands die."

He doesn't look at Tony, but at the audience as a whole.

"The man who has PTSD but still comforts his kid when they're scared."

Peter spots civilians he knows that have rescued people in big and little ways.

"The woman who raises a kid whose parents died in the Chitauri attack, and the man who gave a, um-"

_Can I say prostitute here?_

"The guy who gave a lady who didn't have a safe job or place to live directions to a good shelter where she could rebuild her life, and the person who stopped a mugging before I could even swing across the street. They are all here. Just because I have this suit and these powers doesn't make me better than you. So, uh, I don't deserve this medal. You all do."

He turns and glances at Pepper.

"Um, Ms. Potts?"

She comes to the podium, smiling, proud.

"This belongs to them. Can we hang it somewhere safe where everyone can see it?"

"I know just the place."

 

 

 

Pepper wanted to put it in the lobby of the new Avengers Tower, but then Tony had an idea.

He had a floor cleared out that everyone was allowed in that held a food pantry, survival equipment, first aid kits, free medical assistance including check-ups, ER visits, and even therapy—mental and physical—and it branched off to other places that could help with insurance and other things like Food Stamps. There were tutors and Big Brothers and Big Sisters and people to help you get out of bad situations.

There was a wall directly across from the doorway that had post-it notes that people could add on about how people helped other people, and right in the middle of it, behind a bulletproof piece of glass, was the medal with a plaque under it.

_With great power comes great responsibility._

_This belongs to the every-day heroes._

_This belongs to you._

**Author's Note:**

> Have a blessed day!


End file.
